*Song lyrics are italicized*
Song name: Hurt By: Johnny Cash
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Many years later...
"You know the rest." Ayu stated to The two commanders who sat at the fire with her.
"Seven more years of bloody war."
"Apollyon played us all. One against the other. For what?" A new voice spoke up a viking warlord by the name of Stigandr.
"To weed out the weak." Holden stated.
"Why did you call us here. Cross?" Ayu spoke up walking over to the two warriors.
"I didn't. I was sent. By the new Lord Warden."
Holden hummed for a moment.
"To make amends." He finished staring a Stigandr.
"How dare You!" Stigandr shouted as he backhanded Holden making the Lawbringer hit the ground.
Quickly, Stigandr grabbed his sword and pointed it at Holden.
"Thousands of my people. Dead." Stigandr growled in rage.
"Well. Here is your chance for vengeance." Holden stated unafraid.
"We've shared our stories, like your 'Lord Warden' requested. Now--why are we here?" Ayu interjected.
"Peace." Holden stated simply.
Stigandr growled and stomped away pacing in the room.
Ayu helped Holden up
"'Peace'." Ayu asked doubtfully as she too began to pace the room.
"Even if it were possible--we're no peacemakers!" Stigandr growled out
"Is it an unworthy goal?" Ayu asked Stigandr.
"Well. No--but.."
"Is this how it starts ?" Stigandr asked slowly.
"It would have to start with us." Ayu responded hopeful.
"We will die in this attempt. You know that." Holden stated slowly letting those words sink in.
Stigandr stepped forward.
"But it would make a worthy tale." Stigandr said hopeful that the possibility of peace was somewhere out there.
As they made preparations to plead for peace from their lands Ayu stopped Holden.
"Any word from (Y/n)? In the years he had left..." Ayu asked unsure how to approach the subject all of them missed him dearly.
"When he left in grief of...her he exiled himself no one knows where he went and no one has heard from him since." Holden stated solemnly
Ayu closed her eyes she missed him just as much as Okuma, Momiji and The Orochi did. Opening her eyes again she looked up at the stars wondering where on earth he was and hoping he had not died from grief.
Far away to the Northeast in the Valkenheim mountains a lone silhouette stood at the peak of a snowy hill his hair had started to be peppered with white hairs showing age and wisdom a medium length beard now adorned his face. The large scar on the left side of his face a vivid reminder of how he gained that wisdom and...at what cost.
(Y/n) slowly made his way down the hill his body not as agile and quick as it was before from age and years of warfare.
A rabbit was slung over his shoulder it wasn't the biggest game out here nor was it as big as most were but it would do for now he was quite astonished his snare had actually worked.
After the fall of the Blackstone Legion (Y/n) had to leave and was granted permission to stay in Valkenheim by the Vikings from the Raider who (Y/n) became close friends with as well.
Now (Y/n) lived in lonely self-exile.
I hurt my self today
(Y/n) finally reached his small hut he had built and made his home. (Y/n) remained silent as he cooked his food silently ate and stared himself in a mirror he frowned at the man he saw.
To see if I still feel
He gently brushed his hand over the scar tracing the lines lazily the burn of the memory still fresh in his mind after all these years.
(Y/n) turned and stared at the longsword he had resting on his table.
Apollyon's longsword.
He had not touched it not since he put it there all them years ago.
I focus on the pain
His heart clenched as he stared at the blade noticing the dust from years of neglect.
The only thing that's real
As he stared he could recall the memories he shared with his friends...his allies.
His Apollyon.
The needle tears a hole
(Y/n) turned away and punched a cabinet breaking it not caring for how his hand stung and how his knuckles bled he wanted to feel anything but sadness right now.
(Y/n) ended up bandaging his hand and couldn't stand being in that house with that sword any longer.
The old familiar sting
(Y/n) wandered the woods which he did often he didn't have anything better to do anymore. (Y/n) would just sit and listen to the sound of the trees brushing in the ice cold wind, and the sound of snowbirds, the occasional yip of a fox..
Or the howling of the wolves.
Try to kill it all away
The wolves would howl in the distance singing their songs trying to sooth his broken soul. There was a particular wolf (Y/n) liked she came around often she was never afraid of (Y/n) nor (Y/n) of her they sort of coexisted if that made sense.
She had a black as night fur coat and stormy blue eyes that would pierce through the darkness.
But I remember everything
She didn't have a name. (Y/n) had not yet named her, he felt no reason to. He always knew which one she was and if she was near.
What have I become?
Every morning when he rose from his sleep he could see her outside his window at the edge of the treeline staring in his direction before slinking off into the woods disappearing as quick as she appeared.
(Y/n) never hunted her and she never tried to stalk him he couldn't fathom why but he didn't question he always left her the scraps from his hunts.
My sweetest friend
Every afternoon she could be seen in that treeline staring at his house then silently slinking off to woods almost as though to say good night.
(Y/n) wondered why this Wolf never bothered him, perhaps it was one the wolves kept by vikings that had escaped?
It wasn't a small possibility Vikings lost a lot of their wolves either during battle or by escaping.
Perhaps this was one of them.
Everyone I know goes away
Tomorrow (Y/n) was going for a visit it was about time anyway.
In the end
(Y/n) had not received much rest that night he had simply laid there staring at the ceiling thinking about what could have been.
And you could have it all
When (Y/n) rose from the small three hours of sleep he received he did his usual morning ritual. Wake up look out the window, see the black Wolf stare and walk off, eat breakfast, think about her...go outside to ward off those thoughts, and for the first time in the week go for a visit.
My empire of dirt
After doing what he usually done out of habit (Y/n) finally after hours of thinking got ready for a visit this time deciding to take Apollyon's sword with him.
I will let you down
Slowly (Y/n) made his way to the hill the one with the dead Oak tree at the top the one he hasn't visited in a long long time.
I will make you hurt
Finally, as (Y/n) reached the peak of the hill (Y/n) let a soft smile grace his lips as he stared down at her.
"Hello my love, I know I haven't visited much like I promised..." (Y/n) said as he looked down at the grave.
I wear this crown of thorns
Resting at the top of the hill under the dead Oak was (Y/n)'s sword buried deep in the ground Apollyon's helmet rested on the hilt facing him.
Upon my liar's chair
(Y/n) sighed as he knelt down infront of the grave pressing his forehead against the ice cold metal of her helmet.
He missed her so much.
Full of broken thoughts I cannot repair
As (Y/n) rested beside his beloved's grave staring at the sky thinking about their shared memories. Suddenly he heard marching in the distance.
Beneath the stains of time
(Y/n) stared unmoved at hills that were covered in soldiers of unknown origin marching in his direction.
The feelings disappear
Slowly the army marched forward flags raised shouting war songs ready for a fight. (Y/n) gripped Apollyon's sword tightly
You are someone else
Suddenly the army stopped a few feet away from (Y/n) staring him down until a man in strange armor walked forward.
"Move out of the way old man we are on a mission." The man said in a strange accent.
I am still right here
"What mission?" (Y/n) asked his face hardening
What have I become?
"To conqueror these lands in the name of China for the power and might of the Wu Lin!" The man stated proudly.
"Does that include my land?" (Y/n) asked
"Yes!"
"What about my beloved's grave?"
My sweetest friend
"Yes! All of it will be under Wu Lin rule!" The man growled
Everyone I know
"Then I cannot allow that to happen." (Y/n) said getting into a defensive stance.
Goes away in the end
"You?! What can you do old man?" The man laughed then in the next second was headless.
And you could have it all
Surprise wearing off the Wu lin soldiers ran at (Y/n) attempting to strike him down.
My empire of dirt
Without effort (Y/n) cut down Soldier after soldier, counter this attack and blocking that and then parry another ending more lives.
I will let you down
(Y/n) kept going cutting down as many as he could but slowly he could feel his strength and speed leave him.
I will make you hurt
As (Y/n) sliced a soldier's throat and other managed to stab him in the leg making him yell out in pain. (Y/n) pulled the blade out and stabbed the soldier with it.
If I could start again.
For Every five Wu Lin soldiers (Y/n) killed he would received three more fatal injuries.
A million miles away
Eventually his strength has left him and he could not fight Any longer. (Y/n) watched as the Wu Lin warriors surrounding him all charged forward.
I would keep myself
Everything for the second time in his life went into slow motion as he looked around he could tell he was not going to win.
With a final soft sigh (Y/n) stood straight planted the tip of his blade into the snow and held the hilt to his chest and closed his eyes.
"I'm coming home..my beloved..."
I would find...a way
*thank you everybody for reading this book and thank you for sticking with me as I wrote this story I'm surprised by the amount of popularity this received and I am thankful to be able to give you guys an ending to this story I worked on even if it's not a happy one. But thats ok! Not all stories have a happy ending.
Thanks again for reading this I'm proud to have been able to create this and give you guys a story to read. This is Jet signing off*
-Jet the Knight (The_Inquisitor)